Self-playing grand piano.



W. J. KEELEY.

SELF PLAYING GRAND PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED DBQ.9, 1912.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

, Inmsntor:

THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOmLITHll. WASHINGTDN. D c

W. J. KEELEY.

SELF PLAYING GRAND PIANO.

APPLIOATION TILED DEC; 9, 1912.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HE non-1s PBIBGLPBO'IGUTHQ, WASHINGTUN D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. KEELEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AUTO PNEUMATIC ACTION COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SELF-PLAYING GRAND PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed December 9, 1912. Serial No. 735,668.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM J. KEELEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in thecounty of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Self-Playing Grand Piano, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a self-playing grand piano and particularly to improved devices for supporting and driving the music sheet. It is desirable in a grand piano. that the self-playing attachments be so disposed that the music sheet and tracker may be easily seen by the operator when in use and that they shall be unobtrusive and substantially unseen when not in use. To the attainment of this result, I place the tracker and music spools in a framework or drawer slidable under the key bed into and out of operative position.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide improved devices for driving the music spools thus supported, said devices being designed to permit free movement of the framework to its operative and inoperative positions and to maintain the driving connection to the music spools in all positions of the framework Without attention from the operator.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple device for controlling the winding and re-winding of the music spools.

The invention also involves improvements in details of construction and combinations of parts as will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1, is a front elevation of a portion of a grand piano showing how this invention can be applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan of the music rolls and operating parts on enlarged scale, and Figs. 3 and 1. are sectional views of the same on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the parts when in operative playing position, and in inoperative position respectively.

The invention is shown as applied to an ordinary grand piano casing having a key bed 10. The details of the case are not shown, as the invention can be applied to any desired type of grand piano. Under the key bed are located a pair of cleats 11. For the purpose of properly supporting the music rolls 12 and 13 and the tracker 14: these parts are mounted in a reciprocable support or drawer 15, supported to move horizontally back and forward on these cleats. Thus the operative face of the tracker is at the top where it can be watched conveniently by the operator. This drawer is provided with bearings for the shafts of the rolls and for a shaft 16 which is connected in any of the usual ways with the rolls for winding and rewinding.

The shaft 16 is designed to be operated by a chain 17 from a driving shaft 18 which receives its power in any desired way, the mechanism not being illustrated herein. On this shaft 18 is pivoted a lever 19 having a pair of guide wheels 20 thereon adapted to engage the two strands of the chain. This lever is provided with a reversely bent arm 21 at its rear end. The end of this arm is connected by a flexible member 22 with a spring 23, the parts being so arranged that the flexible member 22 lies along the convex side of the arm 21. bus the spring always applies tension to the arm and consequently to the wheels 20 to keep the chain 17 taut in all positions thereof.

For controlling the winding and rewinding the shaft 16 has a clutch member 24. operated by an arm This is secured to an oscillatable and reciprocable rod 26 adapted to slide in a hollow rod or guide 27 forming a telescoping joint. The rod has a pin 28 guided in the longitudinal slot 29 in the side of said guide. The guide 27 is journaled in a bracket 30 and has an arm 31 connected with a lever for turning the guide 27 and rod 26 and shifting the clutch. The drawer is provided with a projection 3- on the bottom by which it can be grasped for drawing it out.

The parts are shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in position for playing. When it is desired not to use the instrument, the support or drawer 15 is moved back to the position shown in Fig. As it moves oack the rod 26 slides along the guide 2'? and telescopes therein. During this operation the spring swings the lever 19 around to the position shown in Fig. l and keeps the chain taut enough to remain on the guide wheels and in position to permit the withdrawal of the drawer or support longitudinally to have the effect of bringing the parts automatically into proper position for operation, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In this way it will be seen that the drawer or support 15 for the rolls and tracker is normally hidden under the key bed and yet can be drawn out and left in proper position for operation by a single motion, and that the mechanism for operating the rolls does not have to pass through the instrument.

Although I have illustrated and described a single embodiment of the invention, I am aware of the fact that the same can be carried out with many changes in details of construction without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction shown, but

What I do claim is 1. A grand piano having, in combination, a reciprocable support, a tracker and music rolls mounted thereon, a shaft for driving the rolls carried by said support and having a sprocket wheel thereon, a power shaft mounted in stationary bearings and having a second sprocket wheel thereon, a chain connecting said sprocket wheels,'and means for keeping said chain taut in every position of the support.

2. In a grand piano, in key bed, a drawer movable horizontally thereunder, music rolls located in said drawer and movable therewith, a shaft in said drawer for driving the music rolls, a sprocket on said shaft, a second sprocket on a shaft mounted in fixed bearin 's, an endless driving member connecting said sprockets, and means carried below the key bed for keeping the stands of said endless member taut while the drawer is moved under the key bed.

8. In a musical instrument, in combination a reciprocable drawer or support, music rolls carried thereby, a shaft carried by said drawer or support and connected with the music rolls for rotating them, a sprocket wheel on said shaft, a sprocket wheel mounted to turn in stationary bearings, an endless chain connecting said sprocket wheels, a lever having a pair of guide wheels thereon for engaging the two strands of the chain, and means for keep- Uopies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the combination a ing the last named wheels in engagement with the chain in all positions of said drawer. V

4. A grand piano having in combination a reciprocable support, a tracker and music rolls mounted thereon, a shaft for driving the rolls carried by said support and having a sprocket wheel thereon, a power shaft mounted in stationary bearings, also having a sprocket wheel thereon, a chain connecting said sprocket wheels, a lever mounted to swing about the shaft as an aXis and having two guide wheels thereon engaging the strands of the chain, and resilient means for holding said lever in position to apply a pressure to the chain through the guide wheels on the lever, whereby the chain will be kept taut while the'support reciprocates.

5. In a grand piano, in combination a key bed, a drawer reciprocably mounted thereunder, music rolls and a tracker carried by said dr wer, operating means for the music rolls carried by the drawer, a member carried by the drawer forcontrolling the winding and rewinding, a rod connected with said member for operating it, a telescopic connection for said rod, and means for turning the rod through the telescopic connection.

6. In a grand piano, in combination a key bed, a drawer reciprocably mounted thereunder, music rolls and a tracker carried by said drawer, operating means for the music rolls carried by the drawer, a member carried by the drawer for controlling the winding and rewinding, a rod connected with said member for operating it, a hollow rod in which said rod slides, means for preventing relative rotary motion between the two rods, and means for turning the hollow rod. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. r

WILLIAM J. KEELEY.

Witnesses 'Ii-r. DANGUARD, TVVM. J. Barron.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

